UM Models 1/72 AS-2 Airfield Starter (506)

Bring the airfield ground crew into your 1/72 scene

UM Models kit 506 represents the AS-2 airfield starter, a specialised Soviet ground-support vehicle used to help start aircraft engines. It offers an unusual modelling subject and a way to show the equipment behind flying operations, rather than the aircraft alone.

Historical background

Before reliable onboard starting systems became widespread, aircraft often depended on assistance from ground crews and external equipment. Mechanical airfield starters supplied power through a drive arrangement connected to the aircraft's engine, helping turn it over for starting.

The AS-2 belongs to this world of practical airfield support. Such vehicles formed part of the infrastructure needed to prepare aircraft for flight, alongside fuel supplies, maintenance equipment and the personnel who kept them serviceable.

On the workbench, an airfield starter can add a different silhouette to an aviation display. Place it in a maintenance area or alongside a historically compatible aircraft to suggest the preparations before a sortie. Check references before depicting the starter connected to a particular aircraft.

Model details

• Manufacturer: UM Models (UniModel)
• Scale: 1/72
• Subject: AS-2 airfield starter
• Role: aircraft engine-starting ground support
• Kit number: 506

Model kit requiring assembly and painting. Refer to the kit instructions for vehicle configuration and marking options.